“In Still Hanging, Bryant Keith Alexander and Mary E. Weems have literally put their bodies on the line by providing readers a bird’s eye view into their own personal and often painful experiences of racism. Rendered through the brilliance of their textual performances, the authors offer more than a theory of performance and instead offer performance as political praxis—as a powerful tool for recalling and calling out antiblackness. Personal, poetic, and profoundly original, Still Hanging deftly critiques the continual acts of racial turpitude that would have black bodies ‘still hanging’ in perpetuity.”
– E. Patrick Johnson, Dean, School of Communication, Northwestern University, author of Appropriating Blackness: Performance and the Politics of Authenticity
“Still Hanging is perhaps the most deeply moving and meditative contemporary reflection on the horrific violence inflicted on Black bodies I have seen in a very long time. Although its insistent commentary on the vile history and undeniable tragedy of racism is enough to bring any of us to tears, the dynamic interplay between imagination and intellect leaves us as readers inspired and uplifted. Social justice warriors, scholar-activists, and creatives of all kinds interested in race will want to add this book to their collection.”
– Ronald L. Jackson II, author of Scripting the Black Masculine Body
“Still Hanging: Using Performance Texts to Deconstruct Racism is a powerful, painful, and critically necessary intervention into the historical present and its inhumane legacies—ones that reverberate with systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and exploitation. At turns cathartic and therapeutic, Alexander and Weems examine through performative, poetic, and dialogic inquiry the personal, political, and performative outrages of police brutality, lynching, the Trump Era, pandemic times, and, simply, the everyday struggles to exist and live as free human beings. Their book is a masterclass in using performance texts to open up new ways of knowing and seeing each other—and the world; of being present to the horrors and hopes of our unsettled and unsettling condition. A must-read for those seeking a new collaborative framework for understanding and impacting their communities.”
– Michael Giardina, Professor, College of Education, Florida State University and Director, International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry
“Alexander and Weems’ new book, Still Hanging: Using Performance Texts to Deconstruct Racism is a brilliant, painful, call to arms. The title, invoking Billie Holiday’s signature song, tells us that racism and genocide are alive and well in America today. Young dead black bodies, bulging eyes, twisted mouths, lie in pools of blood. The sweet smell of death everywhere, Will this ever end? Buy this book. Take action.”
– Norman Denzin, Emeritus Professor, Department of Sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Professor of Communications, Sociology, Cinema Studies, Criticism, Interpretive Theory, and Qualitative Inquiry